A Detective Conan Alphabet
by bubblyangel101
Summary: 26 fics featuring the letters of the alphabet! ShinXRan, HeiXKazu, KaiXAo, and more than just pairings! Please read and review! N is for Never: Don't worry, it's not angst! In fact, it's humor...my first ever TakagixMiwako...:D
1. A is for Always

**me: **This is the start of an Alphabet series! Please review!

**Shinichi: **And _I'm _going to be in it! (Emphasis on "I'm.")

**Ran: **Yeah, right, like anyone cares about such a big-headed mystery otaku like you.

**Shinichi: **Oh yeah? Look at all these fan letters that I got! *waves fan letters in the air* They keep me cool! Get it? **Fan **letters?

**Ran: **They just feel that you're pathetic, that's all.

**Kazuha: **Ran-chan, if you're going to have a lover's spat, do it somewhere else.

**Ran & Shinichi: **IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!

Ahem...anyway, I do not own! Enjoy and don't sue me!

oOo

**A **is for **Always...**

He was always there. Always. Whenever I needed him. And that's what I was thinking about when my daughter asked me a question. "Mommy, why do you love Daddy?"

"Because he was always there for me," I replied simply, ruffling Aya's hair.

She cocked her head to one side, Shinichi's bright blue eyes shining back at me. I smiled. "It all began a long time ago...a very long time ago, when I was in first grade...

oOo

_I was walking home from school. It was a beautiful autumn day, and the leaves from the gingko trees slowly swirled to the ground. But I wasn't really enjoying the weather. You see, Shinichi had told me to go on ahead before him. "You go first, Ran! I have some things to attend to."_

_Yes, he talked like that. Even in first grade._

_So naturally, when my mind was on such disturbing things, I didn't notice the 3 menacing boys until they blocked my way. I bumped into one and tripped. "Ouch!" I rubbed my knee and froze, finally registering the presence of the hulking older boys. "Wh-what do you want?"_

_"Ne, Mouri-san, we've noticed that you've begun to take karate recently." The tallest boy, clad in a blue shirt, sneered down at me from my position on the sidewalk._

_"S-so?" I dared to answer._

_"And we don't like it." The boy who was standing next to Blue replied. He was wearing a leather jacket that was way too big from him. Borrowed it from his father or brother, I guess._

_"What am I supposed to do?" My voice was barely a whisper._

_"You," replied the last boy who was dressed in red stripes, "are supposed to quit."_

_Shinichi had always said to stick up for yourself. So I did...and got me into huge trouble. "WHAT IF I DON'T WANT TO?" I shouted at them. My surge of defiance faded as quickly as it came._

_"Then we'll make you." Red Stripes raised his fist, and I started crying, waiting for the blow that never came._

_When I dared to open my eyes, someone was offering me a handkerchief and a bandage for my knee. "Sh-Shinichi?"_

_"Ne, does it hurt?" He worriedly searched my face for an answer. It took me a while to realize that he was talking about my knee, which was bleeding and badly scraped._

_"It's okay." I looked around for the boys who had threatened me. They weren't anywhere. "Where are they?"_

_"Oh, them. Don't worry. I took care of them. Well, if you're okay, let's walk home together. Okay?" He offered me a hand._

_I took it and stood up. "Arigato, Shinichi."_

_His cheeks flushed slightly. "Naw, it's nothing. That's what friends are for."_

_oOo_

"And that's what happened," I finished.

Aya was looking at me with barely suppressed delight. "I never knew Dad could be so...so un-Dad-ish!"

"There's more, too. This happened shortly after my parents split..."

_I ran from the house, crying. "I don't want a puppy! I want MOM!" I ran out of the house at full speed, crying. I ran and ran until I couldn't anymore, and cried until I ran out of tears._

_It took a while for my eyes to clear. I was on a park bench. How and why I got there is still a mystery. Oh no. How could I get back?_

_"Ran, what are you doing here?" Shinichi was suddenly next to me._

_"SHINICHI!" I turned to him and hugged him, relieved to find someone familiar in such a foreign place. "Mom-left-and-Dad-won't-get-her-back-and-I-miss-her-so-I-left-and-I-ran-here-and-I-don't-know-how-to-get-back-and-IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" _

_I broke down crying again. Shinichi must think I'm such a crybaby. Instead of lecturing me like I was sure he would, he offered me a teddy bear. It was his favorite when he was younger, and even had a name: Sherlock._

_"He's yours, Shinichi." I pushed Sherlock back to him._

_Shinichi smiled. "He is, but you need him more." I gratefully accepted the bear and hugged him close to my chest. I'm pretty sure it was a him, because there's NO WAY Shinichi would hug a girl bear; and wasn't Sherlock a boy's name?_

_"Let's go home, Ran." He took my hand and led me back home._

_oOo_

Aya stared. "Where's Sherlock now?" she asked.

"Oh, he's on the bed. Do you want to see him?"

"YES!"

Sherlock was a plain, brown teddy bear with a pocket on his belly, and intelligent black eyes. I can't count all the times I've cried on him. Aya picked him up and hugged him, much like I had done all those years before. She reached into the pocket and found an old, yellow note that was folded.

"Careful! It's really old," I cautioned her.

"What does it say, Mommy?"

"It says: Dear Ran, Hope Sherlock can make you feel better. Your best friend, Kudo Shinichi."

"That's so nice!"

"Isn't it? And then there's the whole Conan fiasco..."

"Conan?"

Just then, Shinichi stuck his head into the bedroom. "Ran, what're you telling her?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all, ne, Aya-chan?" I poked her tummy and she giggled adorably.

"Nothing, Daddy!" She ran over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I never knew you could be so NICE!"

"Ran..." Shinichi looked at me with a questioning look on his face.

"Oh, it's nothing. They're all tales that you've already heard before."

"Tales?"

And so I took Aya-chan's hand and left for the kitchen, leaving a very confused looking Shinichi behind, scratching his head.

I sat her down in a chair. "Now, Conan was..."

oOo

AN: Like it? Hate it? Think it's ok? Please review!

Thanks to all the people who reviewed my other stories! *hands out flowers* Please continue to review!

By the way, there's a poll on my profile (or so I hope). Take some time to drop by!

Anyway, just wanted to say thank you for reading this!

Till next time,

bubblyangel101


	2. B is for Beauty

And...here is the next installment! Yay for the alphabet!

BTW, this is sort of in an alternate universe...or maybe not, depending on how you want to look at it.

oOo

**B **is for **Beauty...**

Kaito was hunched in front of a mirror, studying his complexion. Heiji was ranting about how mean it was of the girls to ditch them for shopping. Shinichi was out "buying groceries," as he put it. Hakuba was...well, being Hakuba.

Suddenly, the door opened. "I'm back!" Shinichi called out, carrying what looked suspiciously like a cucumber and two lemons.

"Kudo...how do you keep your skin so white?" Heiji asked incredulously.

"And why don't you ever get any pimples?" Kaito pouted.

"And what IS that?" Hakuba said, raising an eyebrow at Shinichi's strange "groceries."

Shinichi held up his hands. "In answer to all your questions, watch me. I will now begin a demonstration." He walked over to the kitchen and took out a knife.

"First, you take the cucumber out and cut it into slices. Then, you squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl. Be careful to wash the juice out when you go into the sun, or you'll get dark and wrinkly like Hattori."

"Hey!" Hattori protested. "I'm not wrinkly!"

"Okay, whatever. Then, you take a beach chair," Shinichi pulled out a chair that he had obviously been using for some time," lie down on it, and put the cucumbers over your eyes. Then take an alarm clock and set it for twenty minutes. Repeat twice a day, every day."

No one bothered asking him how you could find and set an alarm clock with cucumbers over your eyes.

_Blink. Blink blink. _3 pairs of confused and bewildered eyes stared at Shinichi, the most unlikely beauty counselor in the world.

Hattori was the first one to stop staring. He sighed. "Forget we ever asked."

oOo

AN: This is what happens when I get bored! I know; 2 updates in one day? Incredible!

Hope you enjoyed it! Please take some time to review! Huge kisses and hugs to all the people who reviewed, favorited, or subscribed!


	3. C is for Cliff

**me: **In case anyone's wondering where **The Muse **is, Kaitou Kid stole her. And Humor, too. Hope he gives them back soon (he always gives things back, right?)!

BTW, thanks for reviewing, everybody! I look at them whenever I want to get an ego boost...

**The Muse: **You don't need an ego boost. Your ego's bloated as it is.

**me: **It is NOT! Wait...I thought Kaito stole you?

**The Muse: **He did. Toodles!

**me: ***scratching head* I wonder how she got back...

Also, this takes place in the episode when Heiji and Kazuha are dangling from a cliff...episode two-hundred something, I think.

oOo

**C **is for **Cliff...**

The branch was breaking.

It was a life-or-death choice, for me at least. For Kazuha...I hoped that she would live either way. Getting the most I could out of the branch, I swung back and forth to build up momentum. In one last burst of strength, I threw her back up. All that kendo had finally did me some good, huh?

Unfortunately, the branch chose that exact moment to break.

Our positions were reversed; this time it was Kazuha who was holding me, with one exception: I was heavier than her. So naturally, I began to slip. At the last moment, she hauled me up and collapsed, panting.

Her lips moved. I leaned closer, "Say that again?"

"Heiji...you aho..." her eyes closed. I quickly checked her pulse. _Whew. She just passed out, that's all._

I picked her up, bridal-style. Well, Kami-sama must have been watching over us. I caught a glimpse of her face and instinctively pushed back her hair from her face. Wait...why'd I do that again?

And in that moment, I knew that I needed Toyama Kazuha. Why I needed her, I could not say, and I still don't know.

Kudo says that there's only one truth. In this case, that truth would be that Kazuha was (and still is) an important part of my life, and I fully intend to keep it that way.

And that's what I was thinking about as I carried an unconcious Kazuha back to the village, where everyone was waiting for us.

oOo

AN: *sighs* Sorry! I couldn't think of anything good for C! *beats thyself* That was awful! *cries heart out*

**Kazuha: **Awww, don't cry, it wasn't THAT bad...

**me: **How would you know? You were _unconcious _during it...not to mention you're an imaginary character who exists only in certain people's imaginations...*resumes crying*

**Kazuha: **Help! Someone review so I don't have to deal with an author who has depression!


	4. D is for Dance

Tum de dum...enjoy! I don't own, of course.

oOo

**D **is for **Dance...**

It had been a while since Kaito last saw Aoko. He still remembered the hurt on her face when he told her the truth. About Kaitou Kid, that is.

In fact, that pained expression of hers and the sound of her footsteps fading into the distance were two of the biggest reasons he was sitting here at the bar, enjoying a nice drink of water. Because no matter how depressed he got, he wouldn't drink. That was another promise he had made...to Aoko, of course.

"Sir? Are you okay?" the hostess asked him, batting her eyelashes at him in a not-so-subtle way.

Kaito put his head on the table. "Yes, of course I'm okay. I only am depressed because Aoko-is-mad-and-I've-haven't-seen-her-in-years-and-that's-not-a-figure-of-speech-and-I-hope-she's-not-still-mad-and-I-want-her-to-come-back SO YES, OF COURSE I'M FINE!"

The hostess stared. Then stared some more. Yep, trust her to pick a guy with problems. She finally decided to go hit on some other guy, thank Kami.

oOo

Kaito was so preoccupied with being depressed that he didn't notice the slender figure who quickly ducked out of the room, her eyes shining with tears that had yet to bend to the gravitational pull of Earth.

Well, hiding wouldn't do her any good, so Aoko slowly stepped back onto the dance floor, making sure to stay on Kaito's blind side. "Would you like to dance, miss?" a boy stammered as he stared at the floor, blushing nervously.

_No harm in dancing, _Aoko thought bitterly, with a wan smile on her face. "Sure."

_A waltz when she walks in the room_

_She pulls back the hair from her face_

_She turns to the window_

_To sway in the moonlight_

_Even her shadow has grace_

Kaito got up to stretch his legs. And then...he saw her.

To be clearer, he saw her shadow. "Aoko...no, it can't be! I must be hallucinating..." Kaito whirled around. The figure he saw was not a hallucination. Kaito laughed. _If this is a joke, it's too cruel._

The woman turned around briefly. For a heartlifting moment Kaito thought she saw him; but no, her eyes moved on. "That was really her..."

oOo

Aoko was having a great time. She really was...right. So, if she was having a great time, why was she crying? Her dance partner noticed. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I just yawned, that's all." But deep inside she knew it was a lie.

_A waltz for the girl out of reach_

_She lifts up her hands to the sky_

_She moves with the music_

_The song is her lover_

_The melody's making her cry_

_So she dances_

_In and out of the crowd like a glance_

_This romance is calling me from afar silently_

oOo

_What should I do now? _Kaito wondered. He could approach her and be rejected, or he could go on, pretend he didn't see her, and mentally kill himself for the next few months.

Kaito decided being rejected would be less painful.

_A waltz for the chance I should take_

_But how will I know where to start _

_She's spinning between constellations and dreams_

_Her rhythm is my beating heart_

Aoko twirled with one partner after another. It was strange. After 5 years, she still kept comparing every boy she met with to Kaito. _This one's eyes aren't as blue, and he's not as good of a dancer. _

Maybe she just couldn't forget him. Well, she would just be a pair of eyes in the darkness, watching him. Watching him find someone, watching him be happy, watching his grandchildren grow up. And he would never find her.

But she would always be there.

_So she dances_

_In and down off the ground like a glance_

_This romance is calling me from afar silently_

oOo

Kaito was running out of time. Sooner or later Aoko would leave. Part of him just wanted to stay here, memorizing each curve, each line that made up the human known as Nakamori Aoko. But the other part told him that this was his last chance, his last opportunity before someone else snatched her away.

Sometimes he wondered what would have happened if he hadn't told her. Suppose she would like him? But no, deep inside he knew that she would find out sooner or later; the truth would just be more devastating if she found out herself.

_I can't keep on watching forever_

_I give up this view just to tell her_

_When I close my eyes I can see_

_The spotlights are bright on you and me_

_We've got the floor_

_And you're in my arms_

_How could I ask for more?_

_So she dances_

_In and down off the ground like a glance_

_This romance is_

_From afar calling me silently_

oOo

_I can't keep on watching forever_

_And I'm givin' up this view just to tell her_

So he stepped forward. He approached the girl in the radiant blue dress. He tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned around, thinking him a normal guest, and her eyes widened in recognition.

He put a finger to his lips. "Excuse me, but may I have this dance?"

oOo

AN: Like? Hate? Please review!


	5. E is for Everything

**me: **Yay! People reviewed! AND they liked it! *goes around running in circles*

**Kaito: **Yay! People reviewed! AND they liked it...cause I was in it.

**Aoko: **Stop being such a stuck-up jerk...*mutters to self* Sometimes I wonder why I even like you...

**Kaito: **Well, you have good taste. *gets whacked on head by Aoko*

oOo

**E **is for **Everything...**

10 years ago, if you asked who Kudo Shinichi was, you'd get varying answers. "The savior of the police," "That handsome guy who solves all the cases," etc. But if you asked now, you'd get one answer: the deduction machine.

Many people knew how Mouri Ran was MIA (missing in action) for 10 years. But not many people connected that to Shinichi.

And why would they? He already had a girlfriend.

oOo

Shinichi opened the door to his house, not even calling out "Tadaima!" like he used to. Before Ran died.

He would never have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. Sometimes he tried convincing himself that she wasn't dead, but the image of her bloodied, limp body just kept coming back to haunt him.

He never got to say goodbye, much less "I love you." It had been a cold, depressing night when he found her. How he got there is as much of a mystery to him as it is to us. Led on by a heavy sense of foreboding, he had turned corner after corner before arriving at the scene.

They did it. Not any "they," but Them. The Black Organization.

The only reason They were keeping him alive was because She was a fan of his. He didn't know her real name; she was his supposed "girlfriend."

Well, if he didn't let her be his girlfriend, his family and friends would be killed. Shinichi had already failed to protect Ran. Protecting everyone who was left was the least he could do.

She was sitting on the couch. "Shinichi!" she called.

"Don't call me Shinichi. Call me Kudo-san," he nearly growled. Ran was the only one who could call him by his first name.

Her eyes became sad. "You still love her." It was a statement, not a question.

"You took her away. She was my life." Shinichi turned to go back to his room.

"Why?" She was crying now. "Why? AFTER 10 YEARS? Why do you still love her?"

Shinichi turned his head briefly, his eyes full of hate. If you looked through the layer of hate, you could catch a glimpse of the deep hurt and devastation that lay inside.

His voice was shaking as he spoke. "She was my everything."

oOo

AN: Review, please!


	6. F is for Fireworks

**me: **Another Alphabet series! Also, big thankies to **Evil-Chibi-Tiffy **for reviewing three times, **Kuroba's Pet Fish **for reviewing twice, and **JonHolliday16 **for reviewing twice! Thanks a whole bunch, guys (or girls...)!

*pink smoke appears*

**Kaito: **Yeah, yeah, you depend on those reviews.

**me: **I do not! And how'd you get here anyway? Not to mention this story isn't about you...

**Kaito: **Tsk tsk...a magician never reveals his secrets. And I was considerate enough to appear here, because if I didn't, your poor readers would go on strike from lack of Kaito.

**me: **No you wouldn't! Right? *holds out mic to audience*

_Silence..._

Okay...maybe they do like you. Anyway, here's the story! As always, please review!

oOo

**F **is for **Fireworks...**

Kazuha was sprawled out on the couch, eating chocolate chip cookies from her favorite Snoopy plate. Well, she had nothing better to do. The Aho had been strangely quiet this week. As for why...Kazuha didn't know. She wasn't even going to try to probe into the mess that was his brain.

_Brring...brrring...brrring..._ Kazuha sighed and got off the couch, wiping the last bit of cookie crumb from her mouth. "Coming!"

She strode to the dining room and picked up the phone. "Moshi moshi?"

"Kazuha-chan?"

Kazuha smiled. "Ran-chan! So, what is it?"

"He proposed! That baka actually proposed!"

"Oh, so Kudo-kun isn't wasting any time, huh? When'd he ask?"

There was a short pause, and Kazuha could picture Ran blushing. "Yesterday...So, will you come to the wedding?"

"Of course I will! When is it?"

"I don't know yet...we haven't decided on a date. So...I'll call you back, 'kay?"

"Sure! Bye, Ran-chan!" Kazuha hung up. She slowly trotted back to her miserable pile of chocolate-chip goodness. Oh, she should be happy and all for Ran; she'd had to live with "Conan" for three years.

But all she could think about was Heiji, a.k.a. the aho mentioned above. Really, when was he going to wake up? Suddenly, the doorbell rang, temporarily surprising Kazuha out of her thoughts. She peeked through the peephole. "Oh, if it isn't Obaa-chan!"

Obaa-chan was Kazuha's neighbor. She often came over bringing some sort of delicacy that she had whipped up, and Kazuha enjoyed her company. Obaa-chan WAS a renowned chef, after all. She quickly unlocked the door.

"Kazuha-chan! Look, I brought some cream puffs! I learned how to make them in France." The old lady smiled up at her.

"Oh! How can I thank you?" Kazuha cried as she opened the Tupperware container, which was filled up to the brim with all sorts of cream puffs. Chocolate, strawberry, mint...you name it. "You're spoiling me!"

The old woman sat down on the couch and _Tsk, tsk_ed. "You want to keep yourself nice and slim for that boyfriend of yours, no?"

Kazuha blushed and gave the old lady a friendly shove. "Obaa-chan!"

But Obaa-chan's face suddenly grew grim. "Kazuha-chan...I used to have a "boyfriend" of my own, you know."

Kazuha blinked.

"But..." the old woman continued, "I lost him."

Kazuha could do nothing but stare.

"And...one day, he married. I never told him that I liked him, after all. While we were watching his grandchildren play, I told him. And he said, "Haruna? Why didn't you tell me? I loved you too, but I thought you didn't want me." The old lady blinked back tears. "So, Kazuha-chan, listen to me. Tell him...before it's too late."

And with those solemn words, the old lady took her leave, until Kazuha was left standing at an empty doorway, with the sounds of crickets chirping in the background.

_Poor Obaa-chan..._Kazuha thought. _No wonder she never married. _Kazuha let her imagination get the better of her. _What if that was me? _

**Kazuha's scary imagination**

_"Wait, Heiji!" A 70-year old Kazuha toddled behind her childhood friend._

_"What do you want him to wait for?" A crisp woman's voice answered her. A stunning blonde pushed Kazuha aside, still looking as if she were 20. "Come, darling, let's go home. Our children are waiting for us."_

_Heiji didn't even look back. And Kazuha was left behind, watching the shadows of Heiji and his wife fade away into the distance._

**End Kazuha's scary imagination**

"Oh no...what if that happens to me?" Kazuha said out loud absentmindedly with a trace of growing panic in her voice.

"Happens to who, aho?"

Kazuha whirled around. "He-heiji!" He had obviously let himself in with the spare key she had loaned him when he was helping her fix her house.

Heiji fingered the edge of his jacket, a sure sign that he was nervous. "Ne, Kazuha, where do you want to go eat?"

She was completely taken by surprise for the second time that day. "Anywhere is fine..."

oOo

Kazuha twirled her pasta around the tines of her fork. "Ne, Heiji, why'd you take me out to dinner?"

Heiji looked up. "Ah-aho! I j-just wanted to...is there anything wrong?"

Kazuha tilted her head to one side. Was that a blush she detected? It was hard to tell with his dark skin... "No, but-"

She was interrupted by the waiter. "Excuse me, here is your check."

"Thank you." Heiji whipped out his wallet and began counting out the correct amount as the waiter strode away. "Wait a minute...this isn't our check! Ours should be more than this..." Heiji frowned briefly. "Kazuha...you wait, 'kay? I'll go clear this up."

Kazuha smiled. _Really, he's such an honest guy. _But her smile vanished as 3 girls clad in green, pink, and yellow strode up to Kazuha. "Hello, Toyama-san," Pink declared.

Kazuha blinked. Again. "Do I know you?"

Green sneered, "You should. We are The Loyal Fans of Hattori Heiji."

"And we don't think you're good enough for him," Yellow finished.

Kazuha felt her eyes welling up. She normally didn't cry, but this, added to Ran-chan's impending wedding, Obaa-chan's tragic love story, and Heiji's absence had left her vulnerable. "Wh-what?" she managed to stutter out after a full 30 seconds.

"I said, we don't think you're good enough for him, so leave him alone, you ponytailed freak!" Yellow pushed Kazuha so hard that she fell.

Not on the ground, though. When Kazuha dared to open her eyes, someone was holding her. "Heiji?"

"You okay?" he asked tenderly. Kazuha nodded.

Then the trace of tenderness vanished completely from his voice as he confronted his so-called "fans." His eyes were chips of green eyes as he towered above them. "You call yourself my fans? I don't think you're worthy of being my fans. Fans should be supportive. And you-" he jabbed a finger at the girls, "obviously aren't. If you were, YOU WOULDN'T BE TALKING LIKE THIS TO MY FIANCEE!"

The restaurant went quiet as everyone turned to look at Heiji.

But he wasn't done yet. "Now, get out of here," he went on in a cold, menacing voice that Kazuha had never heard him use, "before I personally throw you out."

Needless to say, the girls scampered toward the back exit as quickly as they could. I would've, too. An angry Heiji is not exactly what you want to have chasing you.

Heiji checked his watch. "It's almost time!" He grabbed Kazuha's wrist and began hauling her toward the exit. "Hurry up, aho!"

Kazuha was too stunned to do anything but obey.

oOo

"Ne, Heiji, what's so special about this bridge at 9:00? Heiji?" Kazuha waved a hand in front of his face.

He seemed lost in space. "Huh? Oh...you'll find out."

Kazuha raised an eyebrow. She turned to look at the other spectators, who started chanting.

"FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

The sky burst into color as multiple fireworks lit up the night sky. "Wow!" Kazuha breathed.

Heiji smiled. "Pretty, huh? See that red one over there? It's made by using lithium carbonate for red, and barium chloride for the green one to the left. If you heat certain metal salts, colors will come out. That's because the atoms absorb energy and-"

Kazuha held up one hand. "Heiji...I think that information is enough. How'd you learn this, anyway?"

She regretted the words as soon as they came out. Heiji began rambling. "Oh, you know, there was this murder case a while ago, and the murderer used the calcium chloride provided, and then he attached it to-"

Kazuha sighed and put a hand up to her head. When she finally thought the aho would be less aho-ish, he starts rambling about some random case. "Heiji, I've been meaning to ask, but why'd you call me your fiancee back there?"

Heiji froze, his mouth open mid-word. "Ah...that is...um..."

_Blink. Blink. Blink blink. _Kazuha and Heiji were having an unofficial staring contest.

Heiji gave up trying to speak and threw a black box at her. "Pick a date. You will, won't you?" His voice broke on the last word.

Kazuha caught the box and opened it. Inside was a plain gold band with one diamond in the center. _Heiji must have eaten instant ramen for weeks on end so he could afford this. For me, _Kazuha stared at the tiny object that must have cost a fortune.

Then, sheslapped him. Hard. Heiji felt his heart break into a million little pieces. But what came out of his mouth reassured him that however awesome he might be, Kazuha was a million times awesomer.

"YOU AHO, IT TOOK YOU SEVENTEEN YEARS TO ADMIT?"

Heiji found himself at a loss for words. He could only gape and nod and smile and hope he didn't seem like so much of a bumpkin. He nearly fell down when Kazuha hugged him and began jumping up and down, whispering "Aho!" every few seconds.

Heiji's grin reached his ears. "You're the aho. Who slaps people when they propose? I wonder what Kudo will think of double weddings..."

To many on the bridge, that might have been a strange sight. But to those who knew the Osakan couple, this scene was not odd at all. In fact, they might even say that God had planned it this way.

oOo

**AN: **Yay! **JonHolliday16, **hope I satisfied you want for KazuhaXHeiji temporarily! Please review and let me know what you think, everyone! I spent a long time writing this! 2 whole hours! Let me know all my work hasn't been in vain, 'kay?

P.S. I wasn't sure if Kazuha says "Na, Heiji..." or "Ne, Heiji..." Please advise!


	7. G is for Grades

**me:** Yay! 11 reviews! That's almost 2 for every chapter! Evil-Chibi-Tiffy holds the record at 4 times! Next is Kuroba's Pet Fish, with 3 times! And then there's JonHolliday16, Sock Monsta, and Lil' Eye Candy. Big kisses and hugs to all! Oh, and since everyone is giving out virtual cookies, I'll give out virtual chocolate bars. :)

**Heiji:** You always start running around and jumping up and down whenever you get a new review or PM.

**me:** I do not!

**Heiji: **You do too! *gets bonked on head by Kazuha*

**Kazuha:** Aho! Don't you think the author knows what she's writing?

**Heiji:** You're the aho!

Ah...DC couples. This one's about them...no, not THEM, and not them. Them.

oOo

Aoko peeked into her lunchbox. Rice, some broccoli, and a chicken leg stared up at her. Well, they didn't stare. Non-living things couldn't do human things, like staring. It was called personification.

Or so Kaito said.

Suddenly a huge chunk of her rice was lifted away. "Hey!" Aoko shouted and looked for the thief. "Kaito!"

Kaito grinned as he chewed. "Mmmm...delicious."

Aoko glared at him and ate a huge mouthful of rice. "Oi, you have a grain stuck to your face," Kaito remarked as he reached over to dispose of the offending morsel.

Aoko blushed down to the roots of her hair. Judging by how tangled her hair usually was, that was a long way.

"Look! Nakamori-san has a chicken leg in her bento again. Her family probably raises chickens and kills one each day!"

The sounds of laughter echoed around in Aoko's head. "Naoki! That's not true!" she protested, giving him a glare that rated 10.00 on the Aoko Glare Intensity Scale.

"I've been to her house. They don't have any chickens," Kaito muttered, but not so softly that Naoki didn't hear him.

Naoki smiled. "Oh, so you've visited your wife's house before? How cool." He then proceeded to walk away with his group of so-called "friends" snickering behind him.

oOo

Aoko was fuming. "Who does that Naoki think he is? Just because his family owns a huge company doesn't mean he can be all arrogant and mean."

"Maybe he likes you." Akako had appeared behind them all at once.

"Of course not!" Aoko was shocked. Boys who liked you were supposed to be nice to you, right? And Naoki was NOT (I repeat, NOT) nice to her. At all. "I wonder why everyone else is going along with him, too."

"What do you mean?" Kaito finished his lunch, stood up, and brushed the dirt from his pants.

"They always tease us. Why can't they just get it into their heads that a boy and a girl can be best friends without liking each other?" Aoko stamped her foot. It was a childish action, but she didn't care.

_Brrrrrring! _the lunch bell rang loudly before Kaito or Akako could reply.

"Well, let's go," Kaito said as he walked toward the classroom with no hint of a smile on his face.

_What's up with him? _Aoko wondered. But she didn't say anything and just followed him silently and wordlessly.

oOo

"Hey, be careful not to give her 100% just because you're married, Kuroba!"

Kaito whirled around to Naoki sneering at him. He gave him a withering gaze of his own. "We're both too young to be married, Kiyonaga-san," Kaito responded coolly. He then proceeded to correct Aoko's math paper. She really did get every problem correct.

_Well, that's probably because of my tutoring yesterday,_ Kaito thought, remembering how he had skipped playing soccer to help Aoko. He felt a mild sense of pride as he wrote, in large red letters, "100%! Great job!" on top of her paper.

Normally he would be glad for her, but today Kaito felt a sense of sadness. _What is up with me? I don't have anything to be sad about...or do I?_

"Congratulations, Aoko," he said as he handed the paper back to her. Aoko had really improved in the past few months. Kaito knew because he sat behind her, and in Ekoda, you always traded papers to correct with the person behind you.

Aoko beamed and pumped her fist in the air. "Keiko! What'd you get?" she called over to her friend, who sat a few seats across.

Keiko sighed. "I missed #7 and #24," she muttered dejectedly.

"That's not bad! It's only 2 problems out of 30."

Kaito was getting impatient. "Hey, Aoko, what'd I get?"

Aoko gasped and put a hand up to her mouth. "Oh, here's your paper! You got 100% too!" She gave him a cheery smile that left Kaito's insides tingling. He fought hard not to blush.

"Oh, so the married couple is going easy on each other again, huh?" This time it was a girl who was in their class.

"I don't know what is up with you people! Why do you even care?" Aoko balled her hands into fists and was almost angry enough to throw a punch.

"Nakamori-san! Please lower your voice. We are in class," the teacher reprimanded.

"Gomen, sensei." Aoko hung her head. It was the first time in months that the teacher had been displeased with her. _It's all that bastard's fault. _

oOo

Akako could see it, clear as day. Kiyonaga-san was fond (Correction: very fond) of Nakamori-san, so he was trying to get her attention. Oh, sure, she could make him stop with her powers, but why bother? It gave school a twist, not to mention she did enjoy seeing a jealous Kaito.

He knew, too, but he just didn't know why he felt that way. Akako knew that without even consulting her crystal ball. In fact, everyone knew except for Aoko. She somehow managed to be completely oblivious…

oOo

Kaito was feeling down. Why? Because of those guys. They were all pretty nice and rich. Kaito was just a high school student whose dad happened to be Kaitou Kid. Not to mention that he had to steal things to draw out his father's killer. Yep, they would be a much better match for Aoko.

Just as long as he didn't hurt her. Because anyone who hurt Aoko deserved to be hurt themselves. _Heck, they might even deserve to die._

"Ne, Kaito, what's wrong? You did get a perfect score on every homework assignment." Aoko plopped next to Kaito on the soft, green grass of the meadow.

_Homework's the least of it, Aoko, _Kaito retorted silently. But on the outside, he remained as expressionless as a stone statue. Poker face really did come in handy in situations like this.

"Ne, Kaito, answer me!"

Still no response. Aoko began to think that she was talking to a hallucination, and that the real Kaito was somewhere else. She waved a hand slowly up and down, in front of his face.

He didn't show any signs of being alive. Even his eyelids were closed. Aoko pinched him, hard, on the cheek.

"Owww! What'd you do that for?" Kaito rubbed his cheek.

"Just wanted to make sure you were still alive...if you weren't, I was about to go to the store and pick out a coffin for you."

"Hey, I'm not that old yet!"

Aoko stuck a finger in the air. "You will be, someday. A penny for your thoughts, Kaito..."

"I'd like to think that my thoughts are worth more than a penny."

"2 pennies? 3?"

Kaito glanced briefly at Aoko. "You don't have any money on you." It was a statement, not a question. He got up and began the long walk home.

He offered her a hand up. Aoko just stared. "Hey, who's the statue now?"

Aoko shook her head, smiled, and took his hand.

oOo

_"Kid! Catch him!" Nakamori-keibu's call sounded in the hallway and echoed. The task force rushed forward, but they were too late. Kid disappeared in a burst of light and smoke. _

_Kaito smiled to himself, slipping into the persona of Kaitou Kid and temporarily forgetting his worries. Until a bullet brushed his arm. Gasping in pain, he hid behind a wall. Nakamori never fired. So unless...it was them?_

_"You can't hide anymore, Kaitou Kid."_

_Kaito felt chills go down his spine. That voice...where had he heard it before? A moment later, he had the answer. "Snake..."_

_"That's right." The voice sounded closer, and Kaito heard footsteps. "I'm surprised you remember me. So come out, unless you want this girl to die."_

_Kaito took a swift peek...and almost collapsed. What was she doing here? Struggling to keep Poker Face from crumbling, Kaito rounded the corner with his signature smirk pasted firmly in place. _

_But that same smirk almost faded away altogether when he saw Aoko. She was still wearing her uniform, but it was tattered and torn. Her right arm was bloody...was that a gunshot would he saw? _

_Kaito gritted his teeth. They could hurt him, but not her. She wasn't supposed to get involved. And now it would be even harder to rescue her, for she was unconscious. Well, Kaito would rather have an unconscious Aoko that an Aoko in pain._

_"Give that jewel to me."_

_Kaito slowly put the glittering ruby down and turned around, his hands up. Suddenly, someone hit the back of his head, hard. And they wouldn't stop._

_Kaito growled in annoyance and turned to find the culprit…_

And woke up. "KAITO! Seriously, I don't understand how you can get such good grades when you always doze off. And what's up with me? Why do you keep shouting my name?"

Kaito looked up to find Aoko towering above him. He blushed redder than he had in a long time, at her compliment of his grades AND because, obviously, he had been shouting her name…in his sleep.

"So are you gonna be a good tutor or what?" Aoko tapped her foot impatiently.

_Distraction...distraction...I need a distraction! _Kaito immediately recovered. _Swoosh! _went Aoko's skirt. "Oooh…pink. Pink is nice and feminine. If you didn't wear pink, I would think you were male—"

That was as far as he got until Aoko grabbed a mop (seemingly out of nowhere) and began aiming for his head.

Kaito gulped. _I forgot this was her house..._

oOo

10 minutes later, both individuals were sweaty and exhausted."Kaito...why...do you...even...bother?" Aoko panted.

Kaito frowned. He'd never thought about it before. It just felt nice to see that look of annoyance on Aoko's face. After a nice mop-chase, she would always be cheered up and Aoko-like again.

In short, he liked to see her smile.

_Wait...DID I JUST THINK THAT THOUGHT?_ Kaito swallowed nervously. Because why would you like to see someone smile? His mother always said that it was because you loved that person.

_I don't LOVE her! It's not right! _Traditional Kaito stamped his foot.

_Why can't you?_ Wishy-washy Kaito shrugged.

_Because you're not supposed to fall in love with your dangerous mop-wielding, half-male, KID-hating best friend. It simply isn't done._ Traditional Kaito nodded haughtily and crossed his arms.

_Why not?_ Kaito Kaito asked, and he couldn't answer that question.

But of course, Kaito couldn't tell Aoko that. Nope. No way. So he did some quick thinking (Kaito was good at quick thinking; a certain crazy, hang-gliding, top-hat-wearing thief needed that ability) and said,"Oh, you need some exercise every once in a while. You're getting fatter from eating that many potato chips."

Kaito could practically see Aoko heat up."Fatter? I'M getting fatter? Like hell I am!"

And so the chase resumed.

oOo

They were at an ice cream stand."Ne, Aoko, you want strawberry, right?"

Aoko shrugged."I guess...but, Kaito, you're paying for it."

Kaito didn't mind. And not just because the ice cream was buy-one-get-one-free."One chocolate and one strawberry, please."

He handed Aoko's cone to her and paid the cashier."Here you go. The sprinkles are my treat."

Aoko smiled up at him, like she did when she handed him his perfect paper. Kaito felt his cheeks burning."But, shouldn't we be studying? I really need to raise my English grade..."

It was Kaito's turn to grin. "What, did you think I took you out for ice cream for nothing?"

Kaito couldn't help but thank his _sensei _for assigning so much homework. Because if there wasn't that much homework, Aoko wouldn't have come over. She was, as usual, obsessed with getting A's.

As he licked the sweet ice cream cone, Kaito felt a sense of contentment. Because they were both too young to separate into dating/not dating relationships.

He let his gaze wander to Aoko's face. _Thank you, homework..._It was the first time he liked homework, and probably the last, too.

oOo

AN: Gah! I know this isn't the best, but bear with me, 'kay? I had a really hard time deciding what to do...

BTW, kudos to anyone who spotted the Cinderella 2 reference I put. My cousin loves that show. :)

Please review!


	8. H is for Heart

**me:** So here's the newest installment, when I really should be working on "All That It Would Take." Oh well.

**Shinichi:** You just find me SOO lovable, huh?

**me:** It's actually from Ran's point of view. I thought I'd do it, since I killed her off twice, and I only killed you once. That reminds me...maybe I should do another angst fic? How would you like to die, Shinichi?

**Shinichi:** Scary...*hides behind Ran*

**Ran:** Aren't you supposed to be a man?

**Shinichi:** Nope, I'm just a child. I'm only 7 years old.

**Ran:** Yeah. Right. Ha ha, Conan-kun.

So anyways, enjoy! I know it's kind of short...but I didn't want to spoil the atmosphere by adding more. Please review!

And, Kuroba's Pet Fish, I'm working on your Hei/Kazu fic. I really am. :)

oOo

Hearts are like glass-they can break.

The first time mine broke was when you told me to call you Kudo-kun. Do you know how much that hurt? Knowing that you cared more about your image than friendship?

But you mended that. You fitted the pieces together by letting me call you Shinichi again.

The second time wasn't your fault. It was when my mother decided that she had had enough of my father and moved out. But you picked up the shards of my heart and gave them back to me by showing her my Tanabata wish. I had her back for one day, thanks to you.

The third time was when you disappeared. Do you know how worried I was? Of course not. You're probably snickering as you read this letter. Well, I don't care. That isn't the point.

But then you reappeared, and I found my bottle of superglue and superglued the pieces back together, only to have my heart break all over again when you ditched me for...whatever you always ditch me for.

Oh, sure, I'm sure it's important and all, and I understand you can't tell me because you would be putting me in danger. After all, what I don't know can't hurt me. But that doesn't make it hurt any less.

People say that I should just give up. I don't want to. It sounds selfish, huh? But actually, you're the selfish one. You're the one who wants to bear all your burdens alone.

Ha. Now I've made you sound like a hero. The irony of the situation...There isn't much I can do. But I can write. And that's why this letter is in your mailbox.

When you read this, I don't know what you'll be feeling. Maybe you haven't even gotten to this point. Maybe this letter is already in the trash. Maybe you never even opened this.

You keep reappearing and disappearing. And everytime I would think that all the heartbreak was over, only to find that I had been utterly deceived by you.

And, sure, I understand that you can't come back yet, but you could at least tell me. I'd help. What about all the other people you told? Why not me?

I'm not perfect, you know. I can only take so much before I give up. And I'm running out of superglue.

Hearts are like glass-they can break. And when they've broken too many times, you can't put it back together again, Shinichi.

The question is, are you willing to try?

oOo

AN: Like? Hate? Tell me! Just click on the button below this that says, "Review this chapter." Trust me, you won't regret it.

Till next time, toodles! :D


	9. I is for Image

**me: **This is a poem.

**The Muse: **Duh...

**Kaito: **Is it about me? It has to be about me! Because I...*clears throat*...am the absolutely, wonderful, gorgeous phantom thief KID.

**Aoko: ***whacks Kaito on head* What are you talking about? OF COURSE YOU'RE NOT KID! Who wants to be that !#& phantom thief?

**Kaito: **Ha ha...*drop of sweat rolls down head*

**me: **No, Kaito, it's not about you.

**Kaito: ***pouts*

Just wanted to say that now that school is starting, I will be updating slower. So bear with me! :)

oOo

**I **is for **Image...**

I look into the mirror

And what do I see?

Nothing but myself

Staring at me

I'm just a shadow

Of my former self

So tiny and forgotten

I look like like someone else

They have given me

The perfect disguise

One crafted out of

Pain, hurt and lies

On the outside

I'm happy as can be

I wonder what she would think

If she saw the real me

She might slap me across the face

And then collapse and cry

Or she might just shake her head

And let out a despaired sigh

"Is there anything wrong, Conan-kun?"

Ran pushes open the door

"Everything's fine, Ran-neechan!"

I get up from the floor

This mask is easy to put on

But then, I can't take it off

"Really, I'm fine!" I say to her,

my voice becoming soft

It would be so nice to tell her

Everything I knew

But then they'd know about her

She'd be a target, too

Losing her is my

Greatest and worst fear

I'm putting her in danger

Just by living here

"Why don't you just let her go?"

You're bound to ask

Well, the truth is,

I want to but I can't.

You can say I'm selfish

Maybe I'm being mean

But I want to be the only one

To give her a diamond ring

I pass her room

On my way to the TV

I can hear muffled sobs

I peek in spite of me

She's sitting by the window

Her back is to me

Then she turns a little bit

And I can see

In that moment I hated myself

I was the cause of her tears

I am that stupid detective brat

She hasn't seen in a million years

"Conan-kun!" she whispers

And wipes away a stray tear

I stood there, debating what to do

In an instant it became clear

I can at least comfort her

And try to dry her eyes

"I'm so sorry for you to see me like this,"

she mumbles while she cries

Her dark blue eyes are full of despair

They've lost their luster

"Shinichi-niichan is such a baka,"

I say as I sit down beside her.

Letting her cry on me

Is the least that I can do

"He said that he'll come back," she says,

"He said he'd come back soon!"

I hand her a tissue

She takes it with a small smile

"Thank you." She pats my head

"Talking to you has been worthwhile."

I'll always be the one

In the background; that's me

Anything to make her happy

I'll do to the best of my ability

_She's beautiful, even when she cries,_

I think to myself

And I vow she'll be the first to know

Before everyone else

I can't do everything

So I'll do what I can do

Soon, Ran, soon I will

Soon I'll come back to you

oOo

AN: Like? Hate? Have suggestions? Please review!

Also, I know that Conan actually told Professor Agasa who he was first, so Ran won't be the first to know. In that line, I meant that she'd be the first to know BESIDES the people who already know. It's confusing, I know. There wasn't enough space to put that.

Please review if you've read this. It'd make me very happy! :)


	10. J is for Just Right

**me: **The latest installment! And it's the tenth chapter! Woo hoo!

**Akako: **So..you haven't written any fics about me yet?

**me: **Didn't you read "G is for Grades?" I put you in there!

**Akako: **...

**Hakuba: **What about me? You put that bastard Kuroba in.

**Kaito: ***sticks tongue out at Hakuba*

**Takagi: **What about me?

**Shiratori: **What about me?

**Yukiko: **And me?

**Sonoko: **And me?

**me: **Okay! I get it! I haven't made a fiction about ANY of you yet!

*faces imaginary audience*

So what pairing do you want to see? Tell me in a review! Except that I don't do yaoi/yuri...

And, yes, I know that 'just right' is two words, not one.

oOo

**J **is for **Just Right**

Her figure could be fuller. She could have a better temper. She could be richer. She could be prettier. But as far as Hattori Heiji was concerned, Kazuha was fine just the way she was.

Because no one else could make his heart flip over when they walked in the room. No one could make him blush with a single gesture (thank goodness for his dark skin). And no one else could be as amazing as she was.

But most of all, no one else could make him want to protect them like she did. Oh sure, he knew that trying to "protect" a female was frowned upon nowadays, and that it was considered sexist for males to protect females, as if females were tiny, little, pitiful, weak creatures that needed protecting.

There was something deep down inside, though; it was more than a matter of protecting. Maybe it was because he didn't want to lose her. Maybe it was because he wanted to be the one at her side, always. Maybe it was the fact that the sight of her even talking to another man would drive him crazy with annoyance.

Let's face it: Heiji was a coward. And a liar, too. He was a coward because he was scared of rejection to the point of lying to people when they asked him how he felt about her.

Whatever the reason, he couldn't back down now. Not when she was gazing down at him with those adorable emerald green eyes, her rosy cheeks flushed. Somewhere, deep down, a voice was telling him that he wouldn't get a second chance. He gathered up his strength and blurted out the question.

Not any question. THE question. The question that had the power to toss him to Cloud Nine or rip his heart out and trample it. The proposal question.

And when, a few months later after their marriage, Kazuha pulled him aside and told him she was pregnant with their first child, he just took her in his arms and kissed the top of her head gently.

In that moment, he was sure of what he'd always been sure of: that no matter how old he got or how much he changed, she was just right for him.

And nothing could change that.

Ever.

oOo

AN: I'm going to be very busy in the next few months, so count on occasional updates! Hope you all understand!

Like I mentioned above, tell me which pairing you want to see, and I'll do it. Onegai! :)

Please read and review...oh wait, if you're reading this, you've already read it. So please review!


	11. K is for Kokuhaku

**me: **I suddenly have a very random craving for cheesecake. What? It's perfectly normal...:)

**Kaito: **Yeah! I eat 55 pieces everyday!

**Aoko: **Suuure.

**Kaito: ***pouts* Aoko, you eat too little. You need more sugar or else you are going to pass out. *shoves spoonfuls of sugar into Aoko's mouth*

**Aoko: **Mmfgh!

**Kaito: ***bursts out laughing* You have sugar all over your mouth! It's white...just like your underwear!

**Aoko: ***whips mop out of nowhere and whacks Kaito on the head*

**K **is for **Kokuhaku** (confessions)**...**

"But...I don't want to! What if he doesn't..."

Sonoko sighed as she tugged her blushing friend behind her who was uselessly resisting her iron grip. After a while, she let go of Ran's hand and threw her own hands up into the air, the perfect image of exasperation haphazardly paired with determination. "Mou, Ran! If you never tell him, how is he going to know? You know how guys are so dense and all..." Sonoko paused as if to let her words sink in, "...and you know how dense _that _guy is," she concluded with a half-mocking, half-triumphant look at Ran, who currently resembled a tomato.

Ran shook her wrist free from Sonoko's grasp. "But still..." she mumbled, while studying her blue high heels intensely.

Sonoko rolled her eyes. "Come on, Ran! The guy shrinks, lives at your house, and tries to protect you by hiding his identity for 3 years as he battles with his conscience and a supposedly evil organization."

"It was evil," Ran mumbled softly.

Sonoko rolled her eyes. "Evil, not evil, whatever. Anyway, he blushes when people refer to you two as a couple. He has an overwhelming desire to take care of you. He shoots death glares at any unfortunate male who comes within a 3-foot radius of you." She looked at Ran pointedly as said girl felt unwanted heat rise to her cheeks.

Ran fingered the fabric of her skirt nervously. She wished that Sonoko wouldn't put all the facts that way. She made it sound-or almost made it sound-like _**he**_ thought of her as a good friend. Or more specifically, more than a friend.

And that, in Ran's dictionary of words, was Impossible with a capital I. Because there was no way that he could like her. He was...out of her range. He was almost too perfect for her.

Almost.

But that didn't mean that a girl couldn't have some hope...

Sonoko, on the other hand, loved playing matchmaker, and Ran happened to be her favorite victim. She really didn't like her "other half" that much, but, well, as long as Ran was happy, Sonoko was. A friend is a friend is a friend is a friend.

Ran whispered something barely audible about her not being perfect enough, and that was the last straw. Sonoko lost the last shred of her patience and set off once again, literally towing her best friend to the fated place where the prince (and future husband) was waiting.

oOo

Meanwhile, the prince (who was conveniently and creatively named "Shinichi-kun") was stuck by the side of a fountain, drumming his fingers on the stones that surrounded the geyser of droplets and occasionally running a sweaty palm through his disheveled hair.

As for his heartbeat...well, it was so fast that for a few minutes Shinichi thought that he was a victim of heart palpitations.

He dared to glance over at the ice skating rink that was on near his current location. _Suzuki said that I should take her there and actually tell her..._he gulped nervously_...but...I mean, it wouldn't be...I can't tell her yet...but when...and if I don't..._Suddenly Shinichi's face turned ashen with a grave expression on his face that looked hilariously out of place for a person as serious as he was. _What if someone comes and...you know...steals her!...wait, I don't own her..._(at this heat rose to his face)_...when did I start thinking like this...I don't get it...what am I supposed to do..._Shinichi mentally slapped himself and facepalmed, allowing a large (and rather irregular) drop of sweat to roll down his neck.

"!#$%!%^!#!$!" Shinichi screamed, nearly tugging his hair out in the process, while also receiving a few concerned looks from nearby bystanders. One woman even dialed a mental institution, and it took all the self-control Shinichi innately possessed not to storm over to her and scream that no, he certainly was NOT mental, and that, no, he did NOT need to be locked in an asylum, and NO, HE was most certainly NOT going crazy.

Super-smart detectives did not go crazy. Super-handsome smart detectives did not go crazy. Super-handsome, smart, and awesome detectives did not go crazy, and so Kudou Shinichi did not go crazy. Life just didn't work that way.

Yeah. Right. About that matter...

He finally understood why people had to scream and tug their hair out every once in a while. Not that it helped. Shinichi made a mental note to himself to stop pulling out his hair, or he would be bald once Ran got to him.

And that was most certainly _not_ a good thing.

oOo

Sometimes it surprised Sonoko at how vulnerable Kudou was. The guy could drive a boat, operate a car, fly a helicopter AND an airplane, fire a gun, speak English (though not very well...ha ha ha), solve multiple murder cases while dead bodies constantly rained around him, dismantle a bomb, memorize every single Holmes book ever known to man, ice skate faster and better than anyone Sonoko knew, play the violin so well that notes just floated off the strings, demonstrate his perfect pitch, and STILL turn into a blushing idiot at the mere mention of the words "confession," "propose," and "Mouri Ran" in the same sentence?

She mentally added this to her list of Kudou's weaknesses, along with "singing" and "playing video games." _Right...that's three weaknesses, and I've known this guy practically forever._

Well, no matter how awesome Shinichi-kun seemed to Ran, Makoto was still a million times better. Sonoko smiled and giggled at the thought of her beloved karate champion.

Before she knew it, she and her protesting companion, a.k.a. another karate champion by the name of Mouri Ran, had arrived at the exact place where the "knight in shining armor" was waiting. Sonoko grinned and imagined a drama made about her best friend and her best friend's best friend. She began composing random scenes from that drama in her head. _Yes, it should be romantic. Very romantic indeed, _she thought absentmindedly.

What she didn't notice was that the above mentioned best friends were currently studying the cracks in the tiled floor, staying as far from another as physically possible, with faces that were too red to even be described as red. No, these faces were flaming, scarlet objects that could only mean three things: extreme humiliation, future embarrassment, and a burning desire to run apart from each other to the ends of the earth.

Well, maybe not to the ends of the earth, but you know what I mean.

Sonoko frowned. Alas, she had forgotten how shy and introverted they both were. _That could be a problem..._she mused with a slight crease on her forehead. The crease immediately disappeared. _It's nothing for the great Suzuki Sonoko!_

She gave both Ran and Shinichi a generous push. "Look, Kudou, this is your chance," she hissed at Shinichi. "It also happens to be the _last_ chance I'm going to give you." She glared at him, and he squirmed nervously.

Sonoko pasted a cheery smile onto her face as they were greeted by a blast of cold air that was necessary to keep the ice from melting. "Have a nice day!" she grinned.

Shinichi and Ran went on to have many...interesting developments in their relationship, with the most interesting being that Shinichi finally popped the question. Not any question. _The _question.

And Ran, of course, readily agreed, and a few months later, Sonoko received an invitation in the mail, asking her to attend their wedding.

But, right now, Sonoko didn't know that. Actually, all she cared about was that they finally had a chance to be together and alone.

And that, quite frankly, was all that mattered.

oOo

AN: And thus we come with another chapter! Hope you appreciated it!

Please review! :)


	12. L is for Lost

**me: **Okay, so I was on my bed, right? And you know that time between when you're awake and when you fall asleep?

**Kaito: **No.

**me: ***ignores Kaito* Well, I suddenly remembered this series-thing, and I mentally sang the ABCs and said out loud, "Oh, I'm up to the letter 'L.'" And then I started brainstorming for words that began with 'L.'

**Shinichi: **Obviously.

**me: ***whacks Shinichi's head* And then a lightbulb clicked in my brain...and I GOT A PLUNNIE FROM MY MUSE! WHO I THOUGHT HAD ABANDONED ME!

**The Muse: **...no comment.

**me: **So I immediately flipped over and stared at my digital clock, which is next to my Hello Kitty digital clock in the shape of a teacup with a lemon in it that never works. It was 12:07 AM.

**Kaito: **Was it a whole lemon or just a slice of lemon?

**me: **A slice of lemon...wait...why am I answering you? *goes back to ignoring Kaito*

**Kaito: ***pouts*

**me: **And then the last line from this fic popped into my head...*is about to say last line, but thinks better of it and slaps hand over mouth*

Gah! I almost ruined it for all you people reading! Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

**L **is for **lost...**

_Life is always on fast-forward. There are times when it goes by slower, and there are times when it goes by quicker. Every once in a while, you've got to hit the pause, though._

_But you know what the saddest part is? There's no rewind button._

_So take my advice and pause your life when you still can. I learned the hard way. I had the TV remote snatched away from me before I could even have a chance to react._

_Not listening?_

_Don't say I didn't warn you._

_My life's never been easy, but, yeah, I've been able to balance it out. I mean, my schedule goes like this: Wake up, stuff breakfast down throat, go to school, prank a certain British detective, eat, annoy a certain mop-brandishing schoolmate, go home, attempt to stab at homework, wolf down dinner as quick as possible, plan next heist, research gems, go to sleep. Pretty normal, right?_

_Don't look at me like that. I know it's weird, 'kay? _

_But it's all that I've got. It's all that I'll do. It's all that I should do. Actually, it's all that I _can_ do._

_Nobody said it was ever going to be easy, because it's _**never**_ easy, living your life knowing that snipers could show up on your front doorstep and destroy everyone and everything that's precious to you._

_It's never easy, having to lie to the one you love for someone else you love._

_It's never easy putting Poker Face on on those mornings when I seriously wonder what I am doing this all for, and why I even bother._

_It's never easy avoiding task force members and sprinting across the room faster than you ever had before, only to paste on a kaitou's all-knowing grin and act as if everything was a huge piece of German chocolate cake._

_It's never easy to have to lie to virtually everyone you know, because they'd be in danger if you told them the truth._

_It's never easy, hiding your feelings from her because she would stop smiling if she ever found out, even if it means seeing her find someone else._

_And most of all, it's never easy being Kuroba Kaito._

oOo

White-gloved fingers snatch a dazzling ruby from its hiding spot and insert it into a dark inner pocket. Light, nimble footsteps resound as the silhouette slowly makes his way up to the roof, up to the sky, up to where Tsukiyomi-sama gleams with her gentle moonbeams.

He holds it up to her, silently willing her light to shine off the jewel's reflected surface, to put his stolen treasures to another test: Are they the one that he's looking for?

He forces down a sigh of trepidation as a black cloud throws his world into darkness. Then the moon is revealed again, as pale and as lovely as ever, but his eyes are fixed on the jewel.

She is glowing.

A bullet whizzes past, brushing the side of his arm. He gasps and immediately clenches his teeth to avoid showing pain.

After all, he is a phantom, and phantoms were never born to cry.

Suddenly, cool metal is pressed to his head, and he is looking down the barrel of a weapon. In silent consent, he raises his hands, placing tonight's prize behind him, out of sight, in a futile attempt to conceal the fact that he has finally found what he was looking for all this time.

Pandora.

_He does not try to disappear; he does not try to hide. He simply turns around and stares at his attacker-in the eye._

But today...today there is more than one gun. Today, _**she**_ is here, exhausted and bruised, her light blue dressed stained with a dark crimson: blood. Her knees are bent at an awkward angle as she tries desperately to fight the second man off, the man who is pinning her arms behind her, rendering them useless.

What's more, a blossom of dark red is exploding over a section of her dress, and as she winces in pain, the silhouette can barely manage to keep himself from dashing over there and doing everything to ease that pain.

But he can only focus on the gun that is held up to her head.

"Hand it over...or kiss your girlfriend goodbye." The first man's voice is low and dark, with a menacing timbre that serves to enhance his cruel words. His eyes are covered by darkness, and he is wearing a mask, but the moonlit shadow recognizes him at once: his father's killer.

He swallows and tries desperately to keep his eyes off her perfect blue ones; eyes that are pleading him to save her, to have pity, to try to understand her. Eyes that are too proud to admit her weakness, and yet hold a genuine fear for what is going to happen to her.

In that moment, Poker Face momentarily collapsed, and the phantom thief was immortal no longer. He did not deny the fact that he cared for her, so much that he would give up his prized gems, his magic tricks, anything...just for her.

_Because I would do everything to protect you...even if it costs me my life._

He swallows yet again and turns around, fingers trembling, groping in the darkness for the jewel that he has just set down. Holding it in his hand, he dares to face the two snipers.

Poker Face is instantly reapplied in that split second that he turns his back on them, and the world-famous arrogant smirk is pasted on once again. "Tsk tsk...not so fast. Let the girl go first."

The man's eyes harden. "Are you deaf? I said, hand her over or THIS GIRL DIES."

"Oh, I heard you all right. But how can I make sure that you won't kill both her and me after I hand it over?"

The man looks back at his companion and makes a silent gesture. She is shoved once again, and the second man's knee digs in deep near her waist, resulting in an agonized groan that nearly destroys the phantom thief.

A flash of pain momentarily passes over his face, and even the monocle and his hat could not hide his deep feelings. The man observes calmly with his own sneer pasted onto his face. "At a disadvantage, are we not, Mister Moonlit Magician?"

The silhouette grits his teeth and throws the jewel over. The man catches it in midair. Not daring to waste any time, he calls out. "Let her go!"

The man looks up from inspecting his newly acquired treasure. "Excuse me?"

Shadows hang over the phantom's eyes, making his expression unreadable. "I said, LET HER GO!"

Because his first rule wasn't really No One Gets Hurt. No, it was No One Hurts Her.

A low, deep laugh fills up the silence of the night air. "My, my, what makes you think I would let her go? She knows our secret now, doesn't she?"

The girl looks up, a terrified expression on her face. He opens and closes his fists to control his anger.

The man continues. "I'd really like to know, thief boy. What makes you think I'd let both her and you leave alive?"

It is of no use now, trying to pretend that they do not know that he is not really his father. So he unleashes his bitterness.

"You killed my father."

"I know," the man tartly replies, an underlying current of amusement reflecting itself in his voice. "But you still haven't answered my question."

"You'll kill me."

"Oh, you're a smart one."

The phantom allows a smile to pass over his grim features. "But I'm sorry. I can't let you kill her."

And in a sudden rush of emotion, he shoots a card into the arm of the man who is holding her. Her arms are released, and she sinks to the floor, unconscious.

He fires a volley of sharp cards into the first man's arm, but they bounce off harmlessly.

"Well, well, look at what we have here. A courageous young man behaving rashly to save his childhood sweetheart-"

Before the man can finish his sentence, the phantom thief throws a flash bomb and sweeps her up, bridal-style, into his arms. He fumbles with his glider as the man is temporarily blinded.

The last image to be seen is a white coat, flying away into the distance-or so he hopes. But nothing ever comes without a price, and it is the same for him; a bullet shoots through his side, and he careens over to the left, almost crashing into the side of a nearby skyscraper.

The sniper's eyes narrow. "Keep your eyes open. Keep your senses sharpened. Keep looking behind you," he calls after the spot in the distance.

_Because one day I'll find you, and then you'll be dead._

oOo

The world is a mess of black, blue, and grey. Various thoughts race through his mind as he tries to manuever the glider, all the while ignoring the pain shooting through his side.

"Doushite?"

He sneaks a quick glance at the girl he holds in his arms, her breath coming in ragged, painful gasps.

"Doushite?" she repeats, and his eyes widen in surprise. "Why are you saving me when you could've escaped all by yourself?"

"I..." Momentarily at a loss for words, he does not know what to say. "I.."

The ground is rushing by, and he shifts his focus from the girl to his hang glider, barely managing to land in one piece.

_I don't know. I really don't know._

oOo

For the next few months, he never leaves her side. His hands are folded together, held in front of his face as he sits in a chair next to her hospital bed.

As for his wounds...well, he had treated them as well as he could without risking exposure.

A hand is placed on his shoulder. Shadowed blue eyes look up into her father's, and the two men stay in that pose for a while, comforting the other while easing the dull ache in their hearts.

oOo

Years pass, and still he clings to her. "You're stalking me!" she sometimes complains, and he merely smiles and nods in reply.

_Yes. Yes, I am._

Because he is afraid, afraid of losing her, afraid of never looking into those shimmering blue depths again.

Afraid of never walking to school with her again. Afraid of never being able to flip her skirt again and having her chase him with her mop, as weird as that sounds. Afraid of never performing his tricks for her again. He was even afraid of never being able to have her brandish a fish at him.

One day, he finally lets down his guard. "I'm going to buy groceries from the shop around the corner. I'll be back soon, so don't worry!" she calls over her shoulder.

Preoccupied with the guests scrambling to get an interview with the rising young magician, he smiles and waves her off.

He never sees her alive again.

oOo

_He knows that it's all his fault, he struggles not to cry; but try as he might, he can't quite erase her face from his mind's eye._

oOo

_Lost is how I am without you_

_Lost is how I'll be_

_Whenever I think of your smiling face_

_And the future you could've had-with me._

In the end, he lost her.

_Even the best precautions fail._

And he hates it when they say to him that they're sorry she's lost.

Everyone called it losing her, but she wasn't lost. She was gone, forever, and no matter where he went-another city, another continent, or another planet-he would never find her.

She was dead, and there was nothing he could ever do to bring her back to life.

Burying his head in his hands, he feels tears streak down his face. For once, he lets them.

_I promised you that I wouldn't cry, but I cried anyway._

And so he sits, all by himself, on the bench where they first met. He can imagine her sweet smile, asking him what he is doing.

_I'm crying...for everything that I've lost._

That was the last time Kuroba Kaito cried.

-owari-

oOo

AN: The line about the sniper telling Kaitou to be on his guard is adapted from the last line of _Warriors: Forest of Secrets._ The line about Aoko being gone instead of lost is adapted from _Ella Enchanted._ (BTW, I originally wanted to use it in a scene in "All That It Would Take," but thought, "Why not use it here instead?")

And..yeah.

The first part, in Kaito's POV, with italics, was originally part of another thing that I wanted to do, sort of like "Dear Journal" but with Kaito and Aoko. Here's Aoko's POV:

_I've had my share of hard times, actually. You'll probably never know what it feels like to have to go to school with a huge, fake smile plastered all over your face._

_Or maybe you might know. You're a magician, after all._

_Why is it that the good times seem so few and special? Well, I guess there should only be a few special times, but it isn't fair at all._

_Why is it that my father cares more about work than about me? It's sort of depressing, you know? When your father is out chasing a thief instead of celebrating your birthday with you._

_Why is it that my best friend is so determined on liking everything that I hate? Sometimes I wonder why I even consider him my best friend; he is such a huge fan of YOU that I just feel like crying. Am I the only one who hates you? Is it wrong to hate somebody?_

_Thieves are supposed to steal jewels, not someone's family. It's bad enough that my mother isn't here, and that my best friend is absent half of the time, watching "magic shows" on those nights when my father is away._

_But still…can't a girl have some hope?_

_Sometimes I just want to grab you and wipe that stupid smirk off your face._

_And this isn't to say that I don't admire your talent, avoiding my father for so long. You know, you would actually make an excellent magician. Why can't you use your talent FOR the law instead of AGAINST it?_

_I don't care how hard it is for you to stop stealing and returning, or teasing the task force like a matador teases a bull. Why does everyone like you so much? Why can't my father catch you?_

_And WHY do you have to steal?_

_Maybe you has a good reason. Maybe you have to. Maybe someone's forcing you to, although I highly doubt it._

_Whatever the reason, please stop, Kaitou Kid. I don't care how hard it is, like I already said._

_Just because something is hard doesn't mean you should give up trying._

_**It just means you should try harder.**_

(Back to the Author's Notes)

And if you're one of those observant type of people, you might notice that I refrain from using the characters' names in the part after Kaito's POV, except in the last line. That was something I planned on purpose, and it was hard, too, not using "Kaitou Kid" and "Nakamori Aoko" and so on!

I guess I kind of ruined the guessing game as to which characters I was talking about with the last line in Kaito's POV and using "Moonlit Magician" and all, but I'm actually kind of happy with the way things turned out.

And, oh, **ChocoStrawberry, **about your request? I'll do a Takagi/Miwako as soon as I can, when my muse decides to give me something funny. *glares at muse*

**The Muse: ***cowers and hides in corner*

(Note: This may take a while...)

And thus ends the longest Author's Notes section in all history! I'm probably ruining the atmosphere by blabbing so much.

Speaking of atmosphere, I wanted to make this story a little like "Thorns." Can you tell?

Drop by and review, please? :)


	13. M is for Matsu

**me: **Yes, I am back from a VERY VERY VERY long hiatus regarding 2 pieces of spaghetti, a prompt that refused to be prompted, and a screwdriver! (No, really, I'm back.)

And I've finally gotten the TakagixSato idea, and it's probably going to be debuting in the next chapter! (Sound effects: Yay!)

Oh, wait...it's bad grammar to use that many exclamation marks. *sigh* Oh well.

**Shinichi: **I can't believe it. This isn't about Ran, Hattori, Kazuha-san, Kaito (Wait, who's he?), or Aoko (Who is she anyway?)! It's not even about me!

**me: **Well, ya know, the world doesn't revolve around you.

**Shinichi: **Yes, it does!

**me: **Ahem...The short thingy below is the product of a lazy girl who does not want to study her Math textbook over the summer. Said lazy girl was (and still is) confined to a room with little more than a computer with Microsoft Word on it. (That, and access to ff-dot-net. :D) Said lazy girl will not be responsible for any stuff that comes out of her writing...said lazy girl does not own Detective Conan or any of the characters, because if she did, she would probably be traveling the world and planning murder cases. (Hint: That's not what she's doing.)

**OKAY! Enough talk. The story awaits...  
**

oOo**  
**

**M **is for **Matsu** (to wait)**...**

_Mou nido to matanai..._I will never wait again.

Waiting, Ai reflected, was something that she had always unconsciously done.

When Miyano Shiho was still alive, she waited for her parents to come home. (They never did.)

When Miyano Shiho was dying, she waited for her sister to come back. (She didn't, either.)

When Miyano Shiho discovered a friend in Edogawa Conan, she waited for him to ask her for the antidote. (She didn't have it.)

When Miyano Shiho disappeared and turned into Haibara Ai, she waited for Kudou-kun and Hattori-kun and everyone else to take down the organization. (They did.)

When Kudou-kun took the antidote that she finally developed, she waited for him to ask her if she was going to take it, too. (_No, _she replied coolly. _No one mourns Miyano Shiho…not even me._)

But today, Ai decided, today was when she would stop waiting for things to happen to her. Because if she kept on waiting, she would never get this chance again; never be able to make Haibara Ai live again.

"Ai-chan?" Ayumi's voice cuts into her thoughts. "Ai-chan, are you going to eat that yourself?"

Ai smiles and shakes her head.

"Then hurry up and give it! School's almost over!"

Ai gets up from her position on one of Teitan High School's benches. Memories flash by quickly in her head, so fast that they are like a blur of voices and thoughts and feelings: a pair of intelligent blue eyes behind glasses, the same eyes (without glasses) telling her to move on, a different face (a kind, smiling one, with freckles) asking her if it were okay for him to call her 'Ai-san' after knowing her for ten years, the same face pulling her along, telling her over and over again to have fun, to enjoy herself, to live…

_I have decided. _And as she walks slowly toward the boy leaning against the tree, watching her out of the corner of his eye, hoping but not daring to hope, she releases the last pieces of her former life and prepares to live her new one.

Mitsuhiko jumps when she taps him on the shoulder. "Ah, Ai-san…what is it?"

She says nothing but opens his hands to press a small, gift-wrapped package inside, folding his fingers back around it securely.

And when Mitsuhiko tears open the package to find a small, intricate collection of Valentine's Day chocolates inside, Ai suddenly realizes that she is not empty anymore.

(And something inside whispers, _You never had to be._)

oOo

**AN: **My first MitsuhikoxAi! I admit, it's not as good as some of my other stories, but it's okay, right? It occurs to me that I should have probably put this under my OTHER story with only one chapter, "Never," but...eh, whatever. Please let me know what you thought of it! I guess we all know that this pairing is kind of unrealistic, but I thought it was sorta sweet, so here you go!

And don't worry, the next two stories are pretty much already planned out in my head, so they should be coming out soon!

I bet I'm destroying the mood here, huh?

In short, please review!


	14. N is for Never

...not sure what to say about this. I guess if I had only one thing to write, it would be, "This sounded better in my head." WHY AM I SO BAD AT HUMOR?

**Kaito: **Aw, come on, cheer up. You're not THAT bad. At least I can read it.

**me: **...

**Kaito: **Are you sad because this story's not about me?

**Aoko: **Why would anyone want to write a story about you? Why would anyone even want to _read _a story about you?

**Kaito: **Unless you'd rather read a story about Kaitou Kid...

**Aoko: ***pulls out mop*

**Kaito: **ahh...gotta go! Bye!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything! (Well, duh. I mean, you've probably read all my other disclaimers, right?)

The story awaits!

**N **is for **Never...**(never unpredictable, that is)

oOo

Satou stared sleepily at the clock that blinked _6:02 A.M. _She yawned.

Takagi stared sleepily at the same clock. "It's going to be a long day, isn't it?"

Satou sighed. "When do we not have long days?"

Shiratori came by with a cup of coffee in his hand. "Pretty soon we'll get calls to a murder."

Satou raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then Mouri-san, Ran-chan, and Conan-kun will be there, waiting for us."

Chiba walked in, a hamburger in one hand and a cup of soda in the other.

"CHIBA-KUN! YOU'RE LATE!" Practically the whole office shouted at him.

Chiba blinked. "By three minutes…besides, nothing has happened yet, right?"

Just then, the phone rang. Satou, who was closest, picked it up. "You've reached the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department."

After a while, her eyes widened. "Really? We'll be there. Don't worry." She slammed the receiver down. "Conan-kun just called. They're stranded at an abandoned villa in the mountains, and—"

"The ropes for the bridge are cut," Shiratori said without taking his eyes off some paperwork.

"There's probably a serial murder taking place," Takagi remarked.

"The murderer hasn't been caught yet, so they want the police to come over and protect them," Chiba finished.

Satou stared. Then she shook herself out of it. "Yeah, that's what happens every single time they visit villas, huh?"

oOo

It was an impossible murder. The alleged culprit had fled out the window, leaving no footprints in the snow, and the murder weapon had vanished without a trace.

Mouri scratched his head. "It just can't be possible!"

Ran shivered. "Maybe the ghost really killed all of them?"

Conan studied the room carefully and then put on a fake, childish expression as he ran over to where Satou and Takagi were standing.

"Here he goes again," Satou whispered.

Takagi nodded. "On the count of three…one, two…"

"AH-RE-RE?" Conan shouted.

Satou and Takagi promptly burst out laughing.

A brief flash of annoyance flickered across Conan's face but was instantly replaced by the innocent, demure look of a would-be 7-year-old. "Look at that! Maybe the culprit used this string to tie Ishida-san to this beam and then attached it to this nook over here so the culprit could slide around the house like this!"

Mouri whipped around, stalked to Conan's side, and snatched the plastic bag of string from him. "Kids shouldn't be touching this!" he growled.

"Watch…he's going to punch his head," Satou smiled.

Takagi just sighed.

"ITAI!" Conan shrieked, both hands pressed on the ever-growing bump on his head.

"Now watch…in the next scene, the people who draw the anime are going to forget about the bump, and it'll disappear," Takagi mumbled.

"Why do they draw the bump in the first place, then?" Satou wondered.

Takagi shrugged.

oOo

"Eee…aaaa…eyaioo…." Mouri stumbled around the room.

"He's going to miraculously manage to fall into a chair…or maybe against the wall…" Satou said knowingly.

Mouri hit his head on the wall and slid down so he was sitting. "I have figured out who the culprit behind the murders is!" he proclaimed without moving his lips.

"Conan-kun again, huh?" Takagi whispered.

Satou nodded. "Really, we've been through several hundred episodes, fifteen movies, and eleven OVAs…do they honestly think that we can't figure out that Conan-kun does all the work?"

"I know!" Takagi agreed.

"Maybe it's because the author wants to keep Meitantei Conan running as long as possible so he won't run out of money to go travel around the world," Satou mused.

"Of course! Why else would he pretend that not even a year has passed in our world? We should all be at least 15 years older!" Takagi said.

"Actually, we should be more than 15 years older. Remember, the manga started before the anime." Satou snuck a glance at Takagi over the corner of her eye.

Takagi pointed to a girl standing a little off to the side, smiling. "Look at Mizuno-san, so confident in her alibi with Mouri-san. I bet she's the one."

"Gosho-sensei always makes the least likely person the culprit," Satou replied.

"AND THE CULPRIT IS…" Mouri appeared to pause for dramatic effect.

"Kudou-kun's the same as always, stopping to build up tension…" Takagi sighed.

"Well, he can't help it. It's just in his nature."

Mouri's limp arm and shaky pointer finger slowly moved to point at the true murderer. "MIZUNO-SAN, IT'S YOU!"

Satou groaned. "Gosho-sensei, can't you give us some VARIETY every once in a while?"

oOo

Mizuno-san trembled. "How dare you accuse me! I was with you at the time the first murde—"

Conan-kun interrupted her…with Mouri's voice. "Not so fast, Mizuno-san."

"Now Kudou-kun's going to expose her and give her the evidence she'll demand," Satou predicted.

"Then she'll drop to her knees and start crying about how bad the other people were to her ex-boyfriend/mother/father/sister, and she'll wail about the unfairness of the world," Takagi said confidently.

"It was all their fault," Mizuno-san said slowly, sinking to her knees. "THEY KILLED MY FIANCE!"

"And now Kudou-kun's going to lecture her about her motives and make her regret her crime," Satou sighed for the millionth time.

Takagi felt like banging his head on one of the nearby walls. "Why is our life so repetitive?"

oOo

"Here is your schedule for the day, Satou-kun." Megure-keibu handed the small half-sheet to her.

"Why schedules, keibu-dono?" Shiratori asked curiously.

"I don't know. Gosho-sensei said that if we could predict the plot and storyline in the immediate future, he might as well give us the schedule so we won't have to wonder if we're right or not," came the reply.

Takagi studied his schedule as a huge, imaginary sweat-drop rolled down the back of his head.

_6:30 AM: Murder for money_

_7:00 AM: Murder for revenge_

_8:00 AM: Serial murder_

_9:00 AM: Accidentally-on-purpose car accident_

_10:00 AM: Burglary_

_11:00 AM: Murder disguised as a suicide_

_12:00 AM: Suicide disguised as a murder_

_1:00 PM: Kidnapping_

_2:00 PM: False kidnapping_

_3:00 PM: Murder…accidental_

_4:00 PM: Murder…not accidental_

_5:00 PM: Bombing_

_6:00 PM: Murder…for fun_

"What is up with all these murders?" Takagi finally said.

"And what's with the last murder?" Yumi said.

"Who murders for fun?" Shiratori sighed.

Satou smiled grimly. "That guy named Gin. And that other guy named That Person."

"Huh?" Takagi gawked. "Who names their son 'That Person?'"

No one in the office could answer his question.

oOo

Miwako tried to calm down the happy racing of her heart. At last, at long, long, last, she was getting her much-deserved second kiss…

Wataru just tried to not do anything dumb.

Miwako suddenly whirled around. "Ayumi-chan! Mitsuhiko-kun! Genta-kun! Stop spying on us!"

And as three guilty children peeked their head around the bushes, Takagi groaned, dropped his head into his hands, and mentally cursed Gosho-sensei for having bad timing.

oOo

_Dun, dun-dun-dun….dun, dun-dun-dun…_the wedding bells chimed in unison. Takagi swallowed nervously and adjusted his tie for the millionth time.

Miwako smiled and slowly walked down the aisle to where Wataru was waiting…until a shrill scream pierced the air.

"HE'S DEAD! SOMEONE'S DEAD! HELP! CALL THE POLICE!"

Miwako neglected to mention that nearly half of the entire force was here, attending the now-ruined ceremony.

Takagi sighed. "I knew we should've never invited Conan-kun to our wedding."

oOo

AN: Okay, some background on this:

It originally started as a bunch of random ideas on random things in DC (obviously), but then I decided to put it all together in this story because I felt guilty for not putting anything on in a long time. So, **Kucing Kecil, **you get your wish! TakagixSatou with a bit of humor!

I really hope you like it, because to be honest, I'm really bad at writing these two, and I'm sorry if they seem OOC (which I'm sure they are...*sweatdrops*), but let me know what you think about it, okay?

And so...I am now taking requests again! If you want to see anything (it doesn't necessarily have to be a specific pairing; just name a few characters), I'll do my best to write something! Except no yaoi, no yuri, no excessive adult content, blah blah blah, no WEIRD pairings that obviously won't happen (like, I don't know, GinxRan)...IN SHORT, PLEASE REQUEST SOMETHING!

And here ends the extremely long author's note that always spoils the mood.

Please, please, please review! I didn't get any reviews last chapter...does that mean you guys didn't like it? :(


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